Mexico City Stadium Makes History as World Cup 2026 Opens with Spectacle and Protest

The 2026 World Cup kicked off Thursday night with a bang in Mexico City, as fireworks, lasers, and performances by Shakira, Burna Boy, and J Balvin electrified a crowd of more than 80,000 at the newly renovated Azteca Stadium. The iconic venue, now officially called Mexico City Stadium but still known to fans as Azteca, became the first stadium ever to host the tournament’s opening match three times—after 1970 and 1986.

Co-host Mexico faced South Africa in the expanded 48-team tournament’s first game, and inside the steep concrete bowl, the atmosphere was electric. Fans waved flags, sang along to the pre-match show, and captured the moment on their phones as the world’s eyes turned to one of football’s most hallowed grounds.

But outside the gates, a different story unfolded. Demonstrators blocked key roads and gathered near fan zones, protesting the billions spent on the World Cup, the heavy police presence around working-class neighborhoods, and the disruption to communities living in the stadium’s shadow. Police and security forces lined the streets, funneling supporters through checkpoints as Mexico City began a month of high-stakes football under a global microscope.

With the United States and Canada also co-hosting, this tournament promises drama both on and off the pitch.